Ira Hayes Award

The "Ira Hayes Honorable Warrior Award" is presented annually by the founders of the PPC. It brings attention to Ira Hayes and those individuals who deserve special recognition for extraordinary service to their community and country. Hayes, a Pima Indian fighting in World War II, helped raise the American Flag over Iwo Jima.

The 2009 Ira Hayes Honorable Warrior Award Recipient: KTAR

This year, News-Talk 92.3 KTAR has been named the 2009 Ira Hayes “Honorable Warrior” Award Winner. “KTAR has been giving back to the community for the past 86 years,” Smoot said, “and this year alone, KTAR management, staff and listeners have contributed nearly seven million dollars of cash, in-kind services and volunteer hours to many vitally important nonprofit organizations in the Valley, including the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center; The Child Crisis Nursery of Phoenix; The West Valley Child Crisis Center; Easter Seals; United Way: and St. Mary’s Food bank to name a few. We are proud to honor them this way.”

The 2008 recipient of the Ira Hayes Award was Bill Vale and Dan Piacquadio from Harold's Corral.

The 2007 recipient of the Ira Hayes Award was Matt McMahon,
JV Partner with Outback Steakhouse.

The 2006 recipient of the Ira Hayes Award was Ric Hartman, Marketing director of Casino Arizona.

The 2005 recipient of the Ira Hayes Award was Rick Hill, Former Chairman of NIGA.

The 2004 recipient of the Ira Hayes Award was Mike Huff, Founder of The Robert B. Huff Scholarship Foundation.

The 2003 recipient of the Ira Hayes Award was Mary Kim Titla, a member of the San Carlos Apache, President of UNITY and a reporter for Channel 12 in Phoenix.

The Pro Players Classic Celebrity Golf event has funded many scholarships for American Indian Youth and previously also paid to have built a fully operational broadcasting radio station, KidStar. Located on the Pima Maricopa Indian Reservation in the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale's Lehi Branch. www.bgcs.org


"Ira Hayes, His Dream - His Reality"
by Joe Ruiz Grandee

This painting depicts Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian, who helped raise the U.S. Flag on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, Japan in 1945. The painting is currently located in the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Virginia. After World War II, Ira Hayes returned to his people in Arizona and had a difficult time accepting the dramatic and destructive changes happening to his people and land. Ira Hayes died of alcoholism and of a broken spirit.